Best Friends Day
by caskett.vs.stanathan
Summary: It's National Best Friends Day and Castle decides to show Beckett how much he cares about her, through some creative ways that only he could come up with.
1. Prologue: 1 Friend

**Best Friends Day**

It's National Best Friends Day and Castle decides to show Beckett how much he cares about her, through some creative ways that only he could come up with.

**PROLOGUE: 1 Friend**

**Disclaimer: **sadly, I do not own Castle. If I did, do you really think they _still_ wouldn't be together?

* * *

"Where's Castle?" I ask Esposito as I enter the bullpen.

"You missed him by about five minutes. He left you a coffee and said he'd be back by ten. Something about a meeting with Gina and Paula." The Hispanic detective replies.

"Okay. Thanks."

I walk over to my desk and pick up the coffee before sitting down at my computer. Stuck on the screen is a sticky note, Castle's handwriting covering the small square of paper.

_Happy National Best Friends Day!_

_See you when I get back!_

_RC_

_P.S. I've left you some things for BFD! But you have to find them :p_

I laugh and roll my eyes.

I go to screw the sticky note up and throw it in the bin, but see more writing on the other side:

"_The antidote for 50 enemies is 1 friend."_

_Aristotle_

_Can I be your 1 friend?_

* * *

**How was that? **

**I am still writing Sisters, and have finally worked out why Jim and Johanna gave up Hannah and never told Kate. Though, I did need a lot of help and got some amazing ideas. And no, I'm not telling you... You'll just have to read it when I post it ;) Except for my Beta CastleFan1210 and possibly Reader244 who wants to Beta me to get advance copies ;)**


	2. Chap 1 The Key

**Chap 1. The Key  
**

**Disclaimer:** Same as always. I don't know why we have to do these. Clearly if we actually owned Castle we wouldn't be writing fanfictions, surely…?

* * *

I take a sip of my coffee and place it on my desk. I smooth the crinkles in Castle's sticky note as best I can and stick it to the bottom corner of my computer. I'll need to remember to take it home tonight.

I turn my computer on and log on.

My screensaver has been changed from the plain blue to a picture of Castle and I, and typed along the bottom of the picture are flashing words:

_**A friend is one who knows you and loves you just the same**_

Typical. Typical Castle. What I want to know is how he figured out my password. I suppose it wouldn't have been that hard for him to figure out. It is our word, after all. 'ALWAYS'. I'll have to change it now, though. Maybe 'coffee' would be a good one, or even 'apples'… But I know in my heart that I won't change it.

I log on to my emails and see numerous emails from him, all of which I received today. No questions what they'll be about. I click on the first one and it opens.

**"To me, _FEARLESS_ is not the absence of fear. It's not being completely unafraid. To me, _FEARLESS_ is having fears. _FEARLESS_ is having doubts. Lots of them. To me, _FEARLESS_ is living in spite of those things that scare you to death…_FEARLESS_ is getting back up and fighting for what you want over and over again…even though every time you've tried before, you've lost. It's _FEARLESS_ to have faith that someday things will change…Letting go is _FEARLESS_. Then moving on and being alright…that's _FEARLESS_ too."**

**Some very wise words from MISS Taylor Swift. That's what she thinks is fearless.**

**Here's what I think is fearless:**

**I think Alexis is fearless. I think us saying 'ALWAYS' is fearless, because we both know there is no such thing as always – everything comes to end eventually. I think it's fearless for us to not listen to anyone else. I think it's fearless for us to be us. I think it's fearless for us to be a writer and his muse, or from your point of view, a detective and her pain-in-the-arse. I think it's fearless for you to be so passionate. I think it's fearless for us not to give a crap about anything else. I think it's fearless for you to not believe in Santa Claus and magic, but I also think it's fearless that I do. I think our puns and innuendos are fearless. I think our kiss was very, very fearless. I think it's fearless for me to bring you a coffee every day (How is your coffee today, by the way? Yes, I know you're drinking it while you read this ). I think I am fearless. I think you are fearless. I think trusting someone is fearless. I think opening up is fearless. I think believing in someone is fearless. I think YOU being my friend is fearless. I think _we_ are fearless.**

**RC xxx**

That's pretty cute. And am I really that predictable? How could he know that I'd be drinking my coffee while I read his email? I swear he's psychic sometimes.

I throw the polystyrene cup in the bin… And take it back out when I see the writing on the sleeve of it. I should've guessed.

_To my pretty partner / best friend._

_You may be able to leap tall buildings in a single bound and carry the weight of the world on your shoulders, but you are now up to about 150 coffees._

_And I know you threw this out before you saw the writing ;)_

_I know, I'm psychic! Hehehe_

I pull the cover off the cup and throw the cup in the bin (again), and sit the cylindrical cover beside my computer.

I pull my phone out of my bag and text him: u r ridiculous!

I open my top drawer to put my phone there and find a clear plastic box containing a key and purple cardboard in the shape of a door. On the purple 'door', there is writing.

**Key to our Friendship**

You're a Special Friend

Who is Always There.

Sharing in Laughter,

And Showing You Care.

If I shed a Tear,

You're Always Near.

We Are

Forever Friends

The key inside the box is covered in love hearts and has 'TRUE FRIEND' written on it.

I receive a text from him: hav u looked in ur drawer yet?

I reply quickly: Yes. Rnt u in a meeting?

He replies just as quickly: yes. Did u like the key?

It was very cute ;) I reply.

I thought ud like it ;p He replies.

Y r u txtin me in a meeting? I ask.

Coz the meetings reaaaally boring. It's just crap bout me not bein on schedule 4 th next deadline. Even paperworks more fun than this :*( i wish i was with u…

Well im glad ur not with me… i cant focus when ur here… ;) especially when i keep finding those things.

How's ur bfd going?

Pretty good. Some weird creep logged onto my computer and changed my background and is spamming me… :P wbu?

Not the best… do u want me 2 punch the creep? He should know im the only 1 allowed on ur comp without ur permission & im definitely the only 1 allowed 2 spam u! :P

That's ok… I think the boys a gonna track him down and throw him in jail… ;P

Gulp… I'm scared now…

So u should b… wait, u weren't scared b4?

Nope.

U should b scared of ME! Ur gonna die when u get here! I threaten him.

K now im scared… especially of u! Castle sends, then seconds later he sends me another message.

Shit! Paula just noticed I was txtin u! she'll confiscate my phone! C u l8er!

I laugh and put my phone in the drawer, knowing that if Paula noticed Castle texting during a meeting, he won't be able to lay his hands on it for at least an hour.

"What's funny?" Esposito asks me.

"Castle was texting me just now…"

"Isn't he in a meeting?"

"Yes, that's what's funny, if you'll let me finish."

"Oh… Sorry."

"So he was texting me during the meeting and Paula noticed and just confiscated his phone. He is the biggest child. Oh, and he's been spamming me. Something about National Best Friends Day. Anyway, I told him you and Ryan were gonna chuck him in jail."

"Oh, okay."

"So just act all serious. Be all tough. You know what; get the cuffs out for effect. When you see Ryan, get him up to date."

"Sure thing boss."

"Hey Espo, come here and look what he did to my computer."

I minimise everything so he can see my desktop background. Espo starts laughing.

"Oh my god! When did he even take that picture? That is soooo cute!"

I punch his arm – hard – causing him to cower and stop laughing, rubbing his arm.

"Not funny." I hiss at him.

"I never said it was funny. I said it was cute."

"Yeah, and you're gonna have a cute black eye if you don't shut up." I warn him.

He continues laughing so I get up from my desk and go into the break room, planning on getting another cup of coffee.

I pull my mug down from the ledge it is sitting on and carry it over to the espresso machine. That's when I see a plastic card inside it.

On the back of the card is writing saying 'Heartwarmers Keepsakes. To. From.' And a barcode. In the 'To' space, he's written, 'CastleExtraordinaire259297' and in the 'From' section, he's written 'Kitten'.

I take it out of the mug and read the writing on the other side:

Best of Friends

Wherever we go

and whatever life sends

I know that we'll always

be the best of friends.

How did he find out who I was? There's gotta be thousands of people subscribed to his website. I'll have to have a word with him about that when he gest back.

I go to the espresso machine and try to make myself a coffee. After the sixth attempt I give up and go back to my desk, sans coffee.

He'll just have to make me one when he gets here.

* * *

**How was that? REVIEW! That's if you want another chapter ;)**

**The next chapter of Sisters will definitely be up on Monday!**


	3. Risk, Care, Dream, Expect Try It

_**Chapter 2: Risk, Care, Dream, Expect… Try It**_

**I haven't actually seen _Always_; just the final scene where she resigns and does everything to Castle except take his pants off, so this is set before _Always_, and they're happy partners.**

**Disclaimer:** Yep, you all already know that I don't own Castle.

* * *

"My dearest Detective Beckett." Castle says as he sits down in his chair. "How is your day going?"

I sigh, looking up at him from the paperwork in front of me. "Slowly."

"Do you want me to get you a coffee?"

"Yes please." I say gratefully and he stands from his chair, heading towards the break room and the stubborn espresso machine. "Castle?" I call and he turns, looking back at me.

"Mmm?"

"I'm changing my password." I say, earning a smile from him, but that's not what I wanted to say to him. I wanted to say 'thank you for being you' or 'thank you for being here' or 'thank you for helping me' or 'you're amazing and extraordinary' or 'I love you, Rick'. But no, of course I settle with 'I'm changing my password'. Yeah, good job Kate. That's a solid effort worth a pat on the back. Not.

I'm still mentally berating myself, calling myself anything from 'coward' to 'stupid' to 'selfish bitch', when he places my mug down in front of me. "M'Lady, your hot beverage is here, fresh out of the machine."

This statement causes me to laugh and grin at him. "Why thank you, my faithful servant." I reply.

"Since when am I your servant?" He scoffs.

"Uh, have you had amnesia and forgotten that you always bring me coffee and basically force food into my mouth?"

"Touché." He agrees, tilting his head. "So, I have something for you." He pulls out a photo in a plastic slip.

A photo of us. Alexis must have taken it during Martha's one-woman show. It's when I was holding his hand.

"Turn it over." He instructs before standing and walking over to Esposito's desk.

I do as he told me and read his handwriting:

_Risk more than others think is safe_

_Care more than others think is wise_

_Dream more than others think is practical_

_Expect more than others think is possible_

_I did all four and ended up finding you. _

_Try it._

Okay. You want me to try it? Fine.

I stand up and boldly walk to Esposito's desk, the picture in my hand. I stop in front of Castle.

"It's a nice picture." I say. "Thank you for being you, Rick. You've helped me more than you will ever know, more than I can ever describe. You're perfect and one day I plan on showing you just how perfect." I turn on my heel and walk back to my desk.

I hear Esposito hiss to Castle "What the hell did you put in her coffee?"

Two minutes later I feel a hand on my forehead and look up to find Castle, his hand pressed against my head.

"What the hell are you doing?" I ask.

"Feeling for a temperature. Espo thinks you're sick."

"And what do you think?" I ask, biting my bottom lip.

"I… uh… I… I think you were… Ah, following my advice?"

"The advice on the back of the photo?" I clarify.

He nods his head.

I smile softly at him. "Bingo."  
"Really? You really were?" He asks, getting excited.

I nod my head. "I was. But no more touching me at work. That's risking my job."  
He nods his head vigorously. "Okay."

I bury my head back in the paperwork before a thought strikes me and my head shoots up: "Did Paula end up confiscating your phone?"

"Yes." He scrunches up his face in disgust.

"Did you get it back?"

"She refused to give it back until the meeting was finished and I was leaving." He pouts.

"Shame." I say.

"What? How? Why?"

"Well, if she hadn't given it back it's basically theft. I could've charged her."

"Really? You would've done that for me?"

"Anything. Anything for you, Castle. You should know that."

"Thank you." He smiles at me.

I return his smile, along with our signature word. The one reserved for special occasions, or 'us' moments. "Always."

* * *

"Hey, Kate, can you please go and heat these up for us?" Castle asks me, holding out the bags of Chinese takeaway.

"I'm working Castle." I say.

"Pleeeeease?" He begs and I see the look in his eyes. He's left me something in the break room… Again.

I smile softly at him. "Okay. I'll call you guys when it's ready." I stand and take the three white bags from him.

I enter the break room and my eyes scan it for his 'gift'. On top of the microwave I see I photoframe with a typed quote in it and three flowers in front of it.

I walk over and pick up the photoframe, reading it carefully.

My Special Friend

Isn't it funny

how some special people

don't realise they're special at all?

They're thoughtful

without even thinking about it.

They're always right there

when you call…

They share, not expecting

a thing in return,

Yet always seem richer

for giving…

Isn't it lovely how

those special people

can teach us

so much about living!

You're One Of Those Special People

Thanks For Being My Friend!

I pick up the three flowers: a blue hyacinth, a white hyacinth and a purple hyacinth. The blue one stands for constancy, the white one for beauty and the purple one says 'please forgive me'.

He knows I know the meanings of flowers.

He's trying to send me a message.

* * *

**So that was a bit shorter than the last one.**

**Sorry it took so long to update, this. My main focus is on my other story _Sisters_. This is just kind of a little side project, coz I'm _that_ talented.**

**Anyway, review away!**

**P.S. If you haven't read _Sisters_, you should totally check it out! LOL**


	4. Unperfect, Always

_**Chap 3: Unperfect, Always**_

**Disclaimer: Nopity, nope, nope, nope. Don't own Castle. As sad as that is, I'm quite content to stick with writing fanfictions… At least that way I can't kill the show if I write something really crap ;)**

* * *

I am sitting at my computer looking through the notes of an old unsolved when I receive an email from – yep, you guessed it – Castle.

I look over at him sitting in his chair beside my desk. I had thought he was playing Angry Birds. Apparently not.

Castle doesn't look up to meet my gaze, but he must be able to feel my eyes on him because he says, "Open it," and waves his hand in the direction of my computer.

I shake my head but open the email.

_So, the first one is yours, the second one is mine ;)_

_Yes, I did make them up myself… Kinda. I found one on the internet and changed it to suit each of us!_

_**Unperfect (KB)**_

_I'm not a perfect girl._

_My hair doesn't always stay in place &_

_I drink coffee a lot. I'm pretty stubborn &_

_sometimes I have to cry._

_I'm covered in scars, both physical & mental, &_

_I don't always let people in._

_My friends & I sometimes fight &_

_maybe some days nothing goes right._

_But when I think about it & take a step back_

_I remember just how amazing life truly is_

_& that maybe, just maybe, I like being_

_unperfect…_

_Maybe I wouldn't mind if I remained_

_UNPERFECT,_

_ALWAYS_

_**Unperfect (RC)**_

_I'm not a perfect guy._

_My hair doesn't always stay in place &_

_I drink coffee a lot. I'm just a big kid &_

_sometimes I have to cry._

_I have a reputation that isn't completely true &_

_really, I just have that reputation because I want to be loved._

_My friends & I sometimes fight &_

_maybe some days nothing goes right._

_But when I think about it & take a step back_

_I remember just how amazing life truly is_

_& that maybe, just maybe, I like being_

_unperfect…_

_Maybe I wouldn't mind if I remained_

_UNPERFECT,_

_ALWAYS_

_Remember, nobody's perfect._

_But that doesn't make us weak or bad or useless._

_Everybody has flaws. The people you want to be like are the ones who acknowledge that fact and turn their flaws into something special. Something that makes them… Well, them._

_I know you can do it._

_You already have, you just can't see it. But everyone else can._

_I can._

"So, in your opinion, I'm unperfectly perfect?" I ask, looking up at him.

He smiles, still not looking up from his phone. "Exactly."

"What are you doing?" I ask, craning my neck to get a glimpse at the screen of his phone.

"No you don't." He says, lifting one hand and covering my eyes with it. "It's a surprise."

"Is it for me?"

"No, it's a surprise for Ryan but I won't let you look at it." He says sarcastically.

I shrug my shoulders and use my fingers to part his covering my eyes so I can peek up at him. "Well, I wouldn't put it past you. You wouldn't want me slipping up and accidently telling him."

I feel his rumbling laugh before I even hear it, the vibrations coming off his fingers and I feel them against my face.

"Can you uncover my eyes now? I promise I won't look." I say to him.

"In a minute. Just let me finish this." He says, his eyes looking away from mine between his fingers and back down to his phone.

I try glaring at him, but that doesn't really work because he isn't actually looking at me.

I consider just removing his hand with mine, _but where's the fun in that?_ I think mischievously. I can feel his pinky finger resting on my top lip – it had moved down there when I separated his fingers to see.

_This'll work._

I part my lips slightly, just enough so the tip of my tongue can poke out and curl upwards and… _Bingo!_

Castle rips his hand away from face and looks at his pinky finger and the small amount of saliva shining on it.

"Did you just lick me?" He asks, eyebrows almost at his hairline.

I smirk and pull my bottom lip between my teeth. "Yes, I did. And just for future reference – you know, for next time you decide to put you hand near my mouth – I bite." I allow the tip of my tongue to poke out from the corner of my mouth and wiggle my eyebrows at him, trying to lean forward to catch a look at his phone.

"I…I… did you just lick me so you could ruin your surprise?" He asks suddenly.

"So it is my surprise."

"Yes, it is." He huffs. "Please don't ruin it. I'm trying really hard to make this your best Best Friends Day ever."

"Castle. This is my _only_ Best Friends Day."

"Really? Oh my God! You poor, poor deprived woman! Have you and Lanie or Maddie seriously never done this before?"

"No, I've never done this for anyone or had anyone do it for me. I'd never actually heard of it before today."

He shakes his head sadly at me. "I feel for you, I really do. You have no idea what you've been missing out on!"

"Actually, I'm getting a pretty good idea. So, can I have a hint about this surprise?"

"You've already got some." He says, his eyes flicking over to the hyacinths, the white and pink roses and the pansy that I put in a glass of water. The roses were sitting on my desk when I came back from lunch in the breakroom, and he presented me with the pansy out of nowhere. I don't even know where he had it before he gave it to me.

I've been trying to put his message together but I can't quite get it. The hyacinths are constancy, beauty and asking or forgiveness, the white rose means "I'm worthy", the pink rose means admiration and the pansy means "think of me".

"You were getting me more flowers?" I ask.

"Hey, I told you not to ruin it!" He exclaims.

"It's not my fault you gave it away!"

He pokes his tongue out at me in that childish way of his and I surprise both him and myself by poking mine out back before turning back to my computer and the unsolved.

After a few minutes I look back over at him and find his eyes on me. "Castle, do the flowers have a meaning?"

"You know that flowers all have meanings."

"But are you trying to send me a message or something?"

"You're the detective. Work it out." He says before standing and going to the elevator, calling over his shoulder to me. "I know you'll get it!"

* * *

**Ummmmm, okay so I hope I did this chapter justice… I have an idea: how about you review and tell me what you thought!**

**As I said last chapter, _Sisters_ is kinda my main focus so don't kill me if updates for this aren't exactly… regular.**

**I'm thinking there should be three or four chapters left. I know exactly how it's gonna finish, but if you want to see Castle do / say / give something to Beckett, let me know.**

**Ummmm, about the Unperfect things, I'm not actually sure whether or not that's what the original was called or not.**

**I was really bored and looking through my USB at everything, found it and made one for each of the characters except for Ryan and Espo… I found it really hard to do one for Espo and I kinda just didn't do one for Ryan ;) even though I love him… **

**Random question: who do you like more, Ryan or Esposito?**

**I found it really tricky to decide and am still undecided…**

**Anyways, that's enough of my rambling… Review away!**


	5. Candles, Magnets and Mr Cocky

_**Chap 4: Candles, Magnets, and Mr Cocky**_

**Disclaimer:** I can guarantee if you recognise anything, I don't own it. Odds are, it's Andrew Marlowe's… Lucky SOB!

* * *

When Castle walks back towards my desk half an hour later, he is carrying two brown paper bags.

"My dear detective," He says sitting down in his chair.

I try to get a peek at what's inside the bags, but I have no such luck, as the tops of both of the bags are folded over,

"Impatient today, are we?" He asks cockily.

I glare at him.

"Well, even if the bags weren't folded you wouldn't have much luck. The things inside are wrapped."

"Of course they are." I sigh. I should've known, really. Then it strikes me. "Wait, if they're wrapped, then they can't be flowers."

"Ooooh, and the plot thickens. My, my, you really are a detective." He winks at me.

"Castle, don't push me. You've been popping in and out all day with no explanation other then 'It's Best Friends Day'. You've been leaving presents scattered throughout the bullpen, and you've been leaving flowers on my desk and presenting them to me so everyone can see. If I were you I wouldn't be being a smartass."

"Well then, it's a good thing you're not me. Especially since everyone else here loves my smartass-ness."

"You're such an asshole." I mutter, turning back to my computer.

"And on that note, I present you your next gift." Castle says, unrolling one of the paper bags and pulling out a small gift wrapped in silver paper. He briefly looks at the gift in his palm and giving it to me.

It's surprisingly heavy. I look up at him and raise an eyebrow.

"Just open it." He says, his cocky grin disappearing and an unsure look forming on his face.

I carefully peel the paper away – I've never been one for ripping perfectly good paper unless instructed to.

Inside are two fridge magnets, one on top of the other, the size of my palm. The one on top says:

_I haven't met Mr Right,_

_but I have met_

_Mr Cheap, Mr Crude_

_and Mr Cocky_

And the second one says

_We may not have_

_it all together,_

_But together_

_we have it all_

In between the two magnets is a note in his handwriting:_ Okay, so I'm Mr Cocky, but I don't know who the other two are… I could be Mr Cheap, but I don't think I'm Mr Crude…Any more ;)_

He doesn't mention the second magnet in his note, and I realise the unsure look on his face is because he doesn't know how I'll react to the unmentioned one.

"Clearly you're not Mr Cheap. I mean, how much has this day actually cost you?" I ask and raise an eyebrow at him, starting lightly.

He shrugs his shoulders but doesn't say anything.

"And I don't think you were ever Mr Crude. However, Mr Cocky… I think I'm gonna have to agree with you on that one. And about Mr Right…" His eyes look up from his knees and find mine. "I think I've found him. He's somebody that is just like me and has nothing together, but when we're together, when I'm with him, we have it all."

Suddenly his heart-stopping smile splits his face apart, and I so happy. So happy that he's doing this for me, so happy that I'm allowing him to do this, and so happy that I'm the one putting the smile on his face.

"Really?" He asks.

I shrug my shoulders. "Well, when he's not being a stuck-up, goddamn annoying, smartass jackass."

"I'm your Mr Perfect?"

"Sometimes. When you're not being a stuck-up, goddamn an-"

"Yeah, yeah. I get it: I annoy the shit out of you. But hey, we wouldn't be us if I wasn't pissing you off."

"True." I smile softly at him. After a few minutes of comfortable silence filled with shy longing looks (or what Lanie calls eyesex), I speak again. "So, what else is in the bags?"

"Presents. For you. From your best friend slash partner slash Mr Perfect slash stuck-up, goddamn annoying smartass jackass." He smirks at me and I roll my eyes.

"What sort of presents?" I press.

"Ones like those." He points at the magnets in my hand. "Ones to make you smile."

I come out of the bathroom and immediately see them scattered all over my desk. More parcels of varying sizes in different coloured wrapping paper, and odd shaped things that aren't wrapped.

As I near my desk I realise that the unwrapped, odd-shaped things are candles in candle holders with writing on them.

And sitting smack bang in the middle of my desk is a large stack of bound sheets of paper.

"Really Castle? You couldn't have, you know, not made an even bigger deal of this?"

"What can I say? I like theatrics."

"I've noticed." I look at him critically and pull my bottom lip between my teeth. "And you say you're nothing like Martha."

"Oh my God! You just went there! I can't believe you said that, Kate! Now you've done it. That's it, no more Best Friends Day for you." He says overdramatically.

I shrug my shoulders indifferently.

"That means no more presents." He adds at my lack of reaction.

"Wait. Are you supposed to be getting me to _take back_ what I just said? Cos you're kinda actually proving my point." I sit down in my chair and reach for the papers but Castle's hand snaps over.

"No. That's last. You have to look at the others first." He gestures at the other things scattered on my desk.

I pick up the candle holder closest to me and sniff the cherry-red candle. Typical. It smells like cherries. He got me a whole bunch of scented candles.

I read the quote on the cherry-candle holder: _When the moment takes your breath away, cherish it forever_.

Hmmmm. Cute. I wonder if he put the cherry candle in that one on purpose. You know, cos I smell like cherries, and he _knows it_.

I quirk an eyebrow at him and he seems to read my mind. "You know, cos you smell like cherries and I breathed it in. _That_ took my breath away. I kinda just had to." He gestures at the red candle in its holder.

I smile and nod my head, before reaching for a pale purple candle, but he stops me, saying "No, unwrap one this time."

I shake my head but reach for a gift wrapped in gold paper. When I take it in my hand I know immediately what it is. Another magnet. Another quote. Another piece of advice. Another declaration of love.

Sure enough, when I pull the paper away, there is another magnet, this one dark blue with silvery stars around the writing.

_I made a wish_

_and you came true_

My breath catches in my throat, and I think maybe fate does exist. I mean, there's no way Castle would've known I'd pick that magnet up right after the 'when the moment takes your breath away' candle. It's almost as if the candle was predicting what would happen next.

Fates, destiny, magic.

Maybe Castle's onto something.

* * *

**So, sorry if I don't update any of my stories in the next week, I'm studying for my exams... :(**

**It really sucks studying when I know I could be writing, but I kinda wanna pass my exams ;)**


	6. Unpublished Stories

_**Chap 5: Unpublished stories**_

**Yes! I officially watched the whole episode of _Always_ not last Monday night but the one before that – July 2 – (it was on TV on Sunday July 2 but I was studying so I had to record it)!**

**SPOILER ALERT! DO NOT READ NEXT TWENTY (GIVE OR TAKE) SENTENCES IF YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS!**

**I was sitting there with my parents watching it and when Castle poured his heart out to Beckett and she didn't do anything and he left, Mum said: "She's screwed up this time!"**

**And I was thinking in my head, 'Yeah, and by the end of the episode she will have unscrewed everything! And by the start of next season he will have screwed her!' Hehehe I'm so dirty, I know. Oh well ;)**

**And when they were kissing at the end of the episode, Dad jokingly said. "*my name* don't watch! They're doing naughty things!"**

**And Mum said, "*my name* this is definitely pillow rated!"**

**Whenever things get too hot during TV shows or movies Mum will 'pillow rate' them for my little bro and I, and we're supposed to cover our eyes with a pillow so we can't peek through the cracks of our fingers, which I got caught out doing a number of times ;)**

**Of course, I didn't cover my eyes with a pillow and then Castle unbuttoned Beckett's shirt and Mum was like, "*my name*. Pillow. Now."**

**And I was like, "Nah, it's just her scar and he doesn't take her bra off. It's all good. It doesn't get _too_ dirty." ;)**

**She seemed to have forgotten that the night after it came out in America, I made her watch the kiss on YouTube with me, and said the exact same thing then, too.**

**It was pretty funny…**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Castle :(

BTW I've decided that this is set between _Undead Again_ and _Always_.

* * *

After finally unwrapping all of the gifts, reading all of the quotes, and smelling all of the candles, only one thing sits on my desk untouched.

The sheets of paper.

I notice that, protruding from the top, is a piece of cardboard. A bookmark, I presume.

I reach toward it, asking when I pick it up and rest it on my lap, "What's this?"

"Ummm. It's one of my manuscripts." He says nervously, followed by "Kind of." Under his breath.

"For what? The next Nikki Heat?" I open to the first page, but it is blank. No writing whatsoever. I turn to the next page and see the dedication. **This is our story, our song, our journey, our life. Our **_**Always**_**.**

I suck in a shaky breath and turn the page. I scan the page, picking up many familiar names. A very familiar setting. A life-changing encounter.

* * *

_**Prologue**_

_I sat beside Alexis at the book launch party for Storm Fall as my mother walked away from us in search of a new 'friend'. I'm bored of the monotony, the predictability of my life, and shocked by my daughter's lack of… teenagerness._

"_Life should be an adventure. You want to know why I killed Derrick? There were no more surprises. I knew exactly what was going to happen every moment of every scene. It's just like these parties: they become so predictable. 'I'm your biggest fan!', 'where do you get your ideas?'."_

"_And the ever popular 'will you sign my chest?'."_

"_That one I don't mind so much."_

"_Yeah, well, FYI, I do." Ok, so maybe she didn't completely lack teenagerness._

"_Just once I'd like someone to come up to me and say something new." I whined._

"_Mr Castle." A strong voice said from behind me, and I turned pulling a Sharpie out of my pocket and uncapping it as I put on my award-winning smile, expecting another bimbo to want me to sign their chest. _

"_Where would you like it?"_

_But, the person I saw standing before me definitely did not want me to sign her chest, which slightly disappointed me, as she was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen in my long existence of looking at women._

"_Detective Beckett, NYPD. We need to ask you a few questions about a murder that took place earlier this evening." The woman said, and she held up her badge._

'_Shit! She's a cop!' I thought. And then I registered what she had said. I was tempted, oh so very tempted, to make some smart ass comment, like, 'I'm sorry, but I don't think I had time to kill anyone tonight. Just let me check my calendar,' but I could tell by the look on her face that she was a hard woman a definitely would **not** be in the mood for one of my wise-cracks. I could also tell that if I did say something stupid, she would probably handcuff me and drag me away from the party by my ear._

_That would not be good for sales._

_I could already see my publicist, Paula, and my publisher (also my ex-wife), Gina, plotting **my** murder if anything like that happened. _

"_That's new." Alexis said, a laugh in her voice as she leant over my shoulder and took the Sharpie from my hand._

* * *

I close my eyes and whisper to him, "You wrote our story?"

"Yes." He answers softly.

"Why?"

"Because I wanted a record of it. Of our time together. At the end of every case I wrote about it in a journal, and decided to put it all together. Kate, look at me." I feel his hand fall on top of mine on the manuscript.

Slowly, I open my eyes.

"I'm not going to publish it." He whispers. "This is our story. Not anyone else's. I just thought that maybe it'd be nice. I thought you'd like it. A little record of everything we've been through."

I laugh weakly at him. "You call this a 'little' record?"

"I have condensed it from the journal entries. It would've been twice as long as that if I'd kept everything in. I mean, you have to think I've squashed four years into that."

I nod my head and turn the page, finding the bookmark. It is then that I realise not only is there one bookmark, but there are three scattered at various places throughout the 'novel'. Actually, it's probably more a written documentary of our life than a novel.

I read the first bookmark carefully, knowing that he would've chosen it for a reason, as I read it, I realise it's not at all difficult to work out why he put this one at the start of the first chapter.

_Hold onto your Dreams_

_Keep alive the hope in your _

_dreams. Hope provides us _

_strength against giving up._

_Believe in yourself. Self_

_belief enables you to persevere._

_Never quit. Allow no one to_

_control your happiness._

_Take responsibility for your_

_actions._

_Success is not what you have,_

_but how you feel. Your_

_feelings are your wealth._

_When things seem bad, focus_

_on the incredible beauty around_

_you._

_All obstacles have their season_

_and time of passing._

_Ask and you will receive._

_Reach out. No one is an island._

_Accept love that is offered._

_Love is our deepest wellspring _

_of joy._

_Chase your dreams with love _

_and enthusiasm, and allow life _

_to meet you halfway._

_Learn from mistakes and _

_remember your dreams._

_Only do that which increases _

_your self-respect. Self-respect _

_allows you to feel good about _

_life._

_Remember to laugh and cry._

_Both give balance and fullness _

_to life._

_But above all, hold onto your _

_dreams._

I look up at him and whisper, "I'm trying."

"I know," He whispers back, nodding his head. "I know."

I flip to the next bookmark,

FRIEND

**F**aithful,

Fun and Fantastic

**R**eliable

and Resolute

**I**ncredible

and Indispensable

**E**ncouraging

and Enriching

**N**ice

and Nurturing

**D**ear,

Devoted and Dependable

I scan my eyes over the page, picking up key words: Alexis, conversation, Beckett, drugs, pregnant, Ryan, Esposito, rebel, teenager, terrified, mistake.

Uh, when Alexis asked me about going on exchange. I smile as I remember, not only my conversation with Castle when he tried to information out of me, but the one with Alexis, too. I was so surprised when she came to me for advice. Surprised and happy.

I finally flip to the last bookmark, which is quite close to the end, actually.

This time I decide to read the page first instead of the bookmark:

* * *

_is revenge from a distance. Murder is up close and personal. It doesn't make sense he would do both." I rationalise._

"_Don't underestimate him. I mean, the only reason he copped to the blackmail was to avoid murder charges. And like any psychopath, he's a great actor. Oh, speaking of-"_

"_Psychopaths or actors?" I cut her off._

"_I-I was thinking about your mom."_

"_Oh, so a little of both."_

_She ignores my comment and continues, "I think we can make the play."_

"_Really? So you want to venture into the dark, scary woods?"_

"_Don't worry Castle, I got a gun. I'll protect you from the Big Bad Wolf." She teases._

"_You'd use your gun on my mother?" I ask her and I see the unsureness flit across her face; the worry that maybe what she said didn't exactly come out as it was supposed to. "I'm touched. Thank you." I say in a serious tone._

_I see her press her lips together to stop from smiling, but it does her no good. I can see the laughter sparkling in her eyes, something which she cannot, no matter how hard she may try, suppress and hide from me._

_I love the fact that her eyes are an open doorway into her soul. Believe me, I know how cliché that sounds, but it's true. She can control her facial expressions, she can control her tone of voice, she can control her body movements, but she can't control her eyes. They have always been my gateway into what she feels._

_Quite often, I wonder if my eyes give away as much as hers do. I wonder if she can tell when I'm sad or when I'm happy. I wonder if she can tell when I'm scared. And then, in the most perfect moments, she will answer that question for me, with a simple smile, a laugh, a look of understanding, an "are you okay, Castle?", an "Always"._

* * *

When I have finished reading the page I read the bookmark:

A True Friend

A true friend will

stand by you even

when you are wrong.

A true friend

expresses genuine

interest in your life.

A true friend really

listens. A true friend

is always there for

you.

I look up at him and smile.

"You've read that page?" He asks me.

I nod my head silently at him.

"And the bookmark?"

I nod again.

"Okay, here, read this. I literally flipped a coin to decide which page to put the bookmark in."

He flips to a new page and stands up to leave, but I reach out and wrap my fingers around his wrist.

"Stay?" I ask him.

"You sure? I mean, I don't want to-"

"Rick. I'm sure." I give his wrist a squeeze and he sits back down. I look at him softly, unsure of whether I really want to read this page. I mean, considering he tried to leave to give me some privacy and all.

* * *

_strict rules about interfering with another cop's investigation." Beckett says to me and looks at a file on her desk._

"_I'm not asking you to do it for me. I'm asking you to do it so the real killer doesn't get away with murder."_

"_What makes you think I'm actually gonna fall for that blatant manipulation?" She asks me, not at all happy._

"_Because it's true." I answer simply._

_She stares at me for a moment, and I stare back without even flinching, before handing me the file in her hand._

"_What's this?" I ask, opening it._

"_A traffic cam-shot of Vales' car ten blocks from the cemetery, heading **away** from the overpass where Glitch was killed." She explains as I examine the photo._

"_11.57." I say, reading the time-stamp. "Glitch was killed after midnight. This shows that Vales couldn't have killed him. You did this for me?" I ask, looking at her._

_Beckett smirks slightly as I put the pieces together in my mind._

"_All this time, you had my back."_

"_I had Ryan run a traffic cam search while he was **pulling a plate**." I briefly think I have some explaining to do, but she continues on. "It's not a smoking gun, Castle, okay? You can't even see Vales' face in the photo. It's not enough to change Slaughter's mind unless you've got something else."_

_Suddenly I think of that 'something else'._

"_There is one more thing that doesn't make sense." I put the file down and pull a map out of my – Slaughter's – jacket pocket. "This is a map of the area. Here's the cemetery." I point to the area on the map. "Here's the overpass." I point to another area. "But to get to it, Glitch would have to climb a six foot fence. Why do that when there's a subway station a block away? Why hide when you can run?"_

"_Maybe we can find out." She says to me._

_And just like that, we're back in business._

* * *

I take a deep breath and swallow back the tears that had arisen as I was forced to remember the time when Castle no longer wanted me. When he strutted around the precinct with that blonde bimbo and then got a new partner. To think that was just a few short weeks ago. I reach my hand up and swipe at my eyes before he has a chance to see the tears.

"I'm sorry, Kate." He whispers. "I was such a jackass. It's just, I thought that… I thought something, but then during our last case, you said something that changed everything."

I stand up from my chair. "I'll be back in a minute."

"Kate. I really am sorry. I really want to be with you when that wall comes down." He says, referencing what I said at the end of the zombie case two weeks ago.

I turn when I reach the door to the women's toilet and nod my head at him. "I know. And even if you're not there when it happens, you'll be the first to know. I promise."

* * *

**Wow, that was a really long chapter! Hope it didn't bore you!**

**I'm dying of Castle deprivation at the moment! I mean, for the last two weeks I've been forced to study for exams and I've had no new episodes of Castle to look forward to, to get me through the week… :(**

**And because I live in Australia and we only got Always two weeks ago, I've worked out we won't get season 5 until _next year_! Arghhhhhhhh! Looks like I'm gonna be rebuilding my friendship with YouTube come October :)**


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